Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
NISSIA
That man—that dragon—is so... so... infuriating! And I grew up with my dad, who is certainly one of the most infuriating people in the world.
I stomp back to my rooms after that disaster of a dinner, the guard who’s been assigned to me trailing not far behind.
“Quillion,” he’d said in a rasping voice when we were introduced. I’m surprised by his age, even for a dragon. The grooves between his scales are deep, and there’s a gauntness to his face that speaks of many years.
But it’s not just his age that’s arresting—it’s the three jagged scars down his face that bisect one of his eyes, keeping it permanently closed.
I was too shy to ask about them, but later, Zephala explained to me that Quillion once came upon a bear in the woods and fought it with his own claws.
The bear took a good chunk of his face, but he won.
I suppose I’m glad to have someone like him guarding me, even as I wish it were Ragnakor, instead.
I step into my rooms, and Quillion takes up his post outside as I close the door behind me. I’m still humiliated by what my husband said tonight, how he can’t hide his loathing of me for even one dinner.
Just when I thought maybe things could be different between us. I was a fool.
Zephala jumps to her feet and immediately sets to taking the elaborate pins out of my hair. She is new at this, and each one makes me squint. She just needs practice.
“How was it?” she asks as she piles pins up on the vanity.
“A nightmare.” I endeavor to keep tears out of my eyes. “I don’t understand why he hates me so much.”
Zephala tsks as she works her way around my head. “He is a foolish dragon to not see what’s in front of him.”
Clearly, whatever occurred between us on the pedestal was a fluke. Some kind of strange dream that only happened to me.
As I’m ruminating, there comes a light knock at the door.
“Who could that be?” Zephala sounds scandalized. “Perhaps it’s the king looking for a round two?”
I doubt that immensely after the way he treated me tonight.
Zephala tut-tuts as she heads to the door and opens it. On the other side is... Captain Ragnakor.
My heart leaps into my throat. We stare at each other, and slowly I get up out of the chair. The captain’s face is unreadable, as I’ve found it often is. Zephala arches an eyebrow as she glances between us.
“Queen Nissia,” Ragnakor says, bowing in greeting.
“Captain.” I’m genuinely surprised to see him here, as we haven’t exchanged a word since coming to Selvumrrest. “What can I help you with?”
“Well, I was hoping that I could help you. You said you like swordplay. You wanted to train.”
So he remembers the conversation we had, did he? I would never have guessed it happened at all.
“Yes. And you agreed to train me.”
“I thought I might invite you to a session, like I promised.” He speaks in a contrite tone, his shoulders hunched. “Perhaps tomorrow evening?”
The request takes me so aback that I simply stare at him, blinking. “Why?”
Ragnakor furrows his heavy brow. “Because I thought you might enjoy it. You said that it brought you pleasure, and you wanted to get better.”
“I do.” I peer up at the captain of the guard, all seven feet of him. What has changed between our trip to Selvumrrest and now? “Tell me, though. Are you playing a game of some kind with me, Captain?”
Behind me, Zephala gasps, and Ragnakor’s brows lift.
“A game?” he asks.
I stand up straight and huff out a breath. “First you are kind to me, keeping me company when I needed it. And then you are cold to me, speaking only the barest words. Now you’re being kind again. Pick one, will you?”
The captain opens his mouth as if to argue with me, but as his eyes search mine, he closes it again and sighs.
“The king is... difficult,” he says at length. “You understand that already, don’t you?”
I can’t disagree, so I nod.
“Then you’ll also understand why I tread cautiously, especially around his future bride. But now he has claimed you, so there is no reason why we can’t enjoy a friendly spar.”
I like the sound of a little jousting for fun, perhaps learning a few things from a much more talented fighter.
What I don’t like the sound of is that King Vizarios claimed me.
He might have done... whatever it was with his scent glands, but he’s made it clear he doesn’t care for me as a person at all, and that there’s nothing between us.
I shouldn’t think about that right now. I have the opportunity to get out of this room, to make a friend again, and I won’t ignore that chance.
“All right.” I pull the last pin out of my hair and then let it all down, running my fingers through it. When I look up again, Ragnakor’s eyes are boring into me, his gaze suddenly intense. “I’ll train with you.”
He nods, his eyes never leaving mine. “Thank you for accepting my invitation, Queen Nissia. I look forward to working with you.” He bows. “Tomorrow after dinner?”
I nod agreeably. “My pleasure.”
And it will be my pleasure. The captain intrigues me. There’s something hiding under there, something I’m sure must be fascinating to learn. I wonder what it would take to uncover it.
RAGNAKOR
I never understood why humans have hair on their heads until I saw Queen Nissia dragging her fingers through hers with what can only be described as raw sexuality.
I thought back instantly to how she had gripped King Vizarios like he was the last log of a raft splitting apart, her entire body rising and falling as he thrust into her.
I think she is a sensual creature, and it will perhaps make her a good sword fighter.
When I return to my own quarters, I finally pull off the last of my clothing and sit down on the edge of my bed.
This time, though, I bid the memory of the throne room to the forefront.
I’ve been craving release for hours now, and at last, I will grant it.
I fist my hand around my cock, pulling the foreskin to the head and back, rubbing over all the bumps and ridges.
In the silence of the wardens watching, I can still hear the sound of the king sliding in and out of Queen Nissia, his balls slapping her ass, and it made a beautiful wet sound.
My strokes grow faster as I picture it again, how he had pressed her down to the pillows and plundered her, his gaze sharp and focused.
I have never seen him so dominant, so powerful, and I’m squeezing harder now with every pump of my hand.
His teeth grit, his claws gripping the side of the pedestal to keep himself rooted, and underneath him, Queen Nissia is moaning and crying out, her legs wrapped tight around his hips to bring him in even closer.
When the king in my memories finally lets go, I do, too, and my seed gushes down my hand, thick and white.
The next morning, though everything has fundamentally changed, life in the castle returns to a decided normal.
In the morning, I wait outside King Vizarios’s door until he emerges, and then he silently leads me down hallway after hallway until we reach his workroom.
Here, Syzari is waiting, and the two of them sit down at the table to go over everything that’s happened in the month we were away while they eat breakfast.
The two of them are locked up for most of the day, seeing to matters unending. Lunch is delivered and then taken away, and the candles burn low until it’s nearly time for dinner.
I watch Vizarios the entire time, how he hunches over his work and scribbles his name on sheaf after sheaf of paper, reading them aloud so he and Syzari can discuss it before agreeing. His mother taught him well, and he took her lessons to heart.
He may be a surly dragon now, but ruling his kingdom well and fairly is of the utmost importance to him, and I know he wants nothing more than happiness for his people—even if he refuses it for himself.
When evening arrives, Syzari finally speaks up.
“You ought to retire to your queen, Your Majesty. I’m sure she’s waiting to take supper with you.”
Vizarios snorts. “I hope not. We will go about our lives, yes, but separately.”
Syzari cocks her head. “You don’t plan on conceiving an heir?”
The king’s whole body stiffens, and he curls his hand into a fist. “I do. We will wait and see if the first time took, and if it doesn’t, we will try again.” He shoots a look at me, so brief that Syzari won’t have noticed it, but I did. “Hopefully it does not come to that.”
The advisor watches with her eyes narrowed. “I see. A queen in name only.”
Vizarios doesn’t answer, but she doesn’t need him to.
“Poor woman,” Syzari says. “I’d hoped it would be different after you—”
“We will not discuss it any further.” The king rises to his feet and heads past me toward the door. “Rag. Come.”
I follow him out of the room, leaving Syzari behind. She tsks as the door closes.
When I deposit the king in his rooms, he waves me off. “Go get dinner. I’ll stay here tonight.”
I don’t question it, and nod in understanding as he shuts the door behind him.
Doing as he asked, I fetch myself a meal before heading to the queen’s quarters. When I knock, the door opens immediately—revealing Nissia dressed in her pants, tunic, and a pair of solid boots.
“Ready when you are,” she says with a white grin. The bluntness of her teeth always surprises me, but they nicely complement her smile.
“Then follow me.”
I lead her down the hallways, out one of the side entrances to the castle. It puts us in the soldiers’ quarter, where a few other dragons spar in the training yard. When they see me, though, they retreat, leaving the space open for us.
I take one of the smaller swords off the wall, which I give to Nissia. She wields it with surprising expertise despite its size, spinning it in her hand to get a sense of its heft and shape. I take a sword for myself, then usher her to follow me into the training yard.
“Is that the queen?” I hear one of the soldiers whisper to the other.
“I think it is.”
We both square up, then begin circling one another. Nissia arches an eyebrow when neither of us moves to start the fight.
“You’re not afraid of hurting me, are you?” she asks, smirking. “Or are you scared of a girl?”
I chuckle at her barb and lunge forward. I make sure to move slower than I would if I were fighting someone like Tralazan, aiming for an easy spot.
Queen Nissia parries me, her smaller sword darting out to protect herself. Then she laughs at me.
“Is that so, Captain? Treating me like a kid?”
Her immediate attack is so quick that I almost miss it. I dodge at the last moment, then spin around to block her next lightning-fast attempt. She jumps to one side and attacks again, and again I block her.
So she’s not as elementary as she made it sound. This will be fun.